Latest news with #CatawbaRiverkeeper
Axios
27-06-2025
- Automotive
- Axios
North Carolina bill to eliminate parking minimums statewide passes House unanimously
The North Carolina House passed a bill unanimously Wednesday that would block local governments from forcing developers to build parking. Why it matters: An issue that has been controversial in Charlotte received bipartisan support in Raleigh. The big picture: With a starting price tag of about $5,000 per space, parking mandates add to the rising costs of new construction. Those expenses are then passed on to residents and businesses as higher rent. Removing excess Some worry that removing parking minimums will result in i parking, promptnsufficienting drivers to park in quiet neighborhoods or wherever else they can. Carter argues that's a misconception, and the market will self-regulate. Between the lines: Over 20 groups were pushing for the Parking Lot Reform and Modernization Act, or House Bill 369, says Catawba Riverkeeper policy director Ryan Carter. The bill's sponsors come from a range of industries, from construction to farming. They are Reps. Donnie Loftis (R-Gaston), Mark Brody (R-Anson, Union), Howard Penny Jr. (R-Harnett, Johnston) and Allison Dahle (D-Wake). Zoom in: If it becomes law, the bill would override any local rules. Charlotte still requires parking for new developments. Even a newly built bar near the light rail needs to pave new spots to open. Raleigh, Durham and Gastonia have all removed parking minimums. The other side: Some worry that removing parking minimums will result in insufficient parking, prompting drivers to park in quiet neighborhoods or wherever else they can. Carter argues that's a misconception, and the market will self-regulate. "If your community has parking minimums and people are still parking all over the place, then apparently your minimums aren't working," Carter says. "Sounds like your community needs more on-street parking regulations," like "no parking" signs. Charlotte has started piloting more on-street residential permit programs in neighborhoods near South End. What's inside: The bill also strikes a law that prohibits local governments from strengthening runoff requirements in the redevelopment of structures built before modern practices. A provision in the bill that would have banned coal tar sealants didn't make it past committee. What's next: The Parking Lot Reform and Modernization Act heads to the Senate.
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
North Carolina bill aims to reduce pollution by changing minimum parking requirements
NORTH CAROLINA (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — New legislation in Raleigh aims to reduce pollution and improve access to affordable housing by changing rules around parking throughout North Carolina. House Bill 369 would do away with minimum parking requirements, typically set by municipalities. The original goal of the measure was to reduce runoff into public lakes and rivers. 'They're non-pervious surfaces, so the water just runs off, and so then it accumulates and it takes away with it everything that was on the parking lot, whether it's dirt or oils,' said State Rep Mark Bordy, who represents Anson and Union counties. Parking minimums require a certain number of spaces for different types of developments. 'We asked ourselves the question do businesses really need these big parking lots and if they don't need it, then can they use it for other development,' added Brody. The minimums date back to the mid-20th century when leaders across the US saw a need to accommodate a boom in car ownership. The problem is that as cities built up, most minimums in the Tar Heel state were never adjusted. 'It was one of those things that people said 'Well surely there's some logic and math behind it,' turns out there isn't any,' said Ryan Carter with Catawba Riverkeeper, a nonprofit backing the effort. Carter argued the legislation could also help bring down rents in urban areas since developers would not have to meet expensive minimums. While the bill was just filed, with sponsors from both sides of the aisle, supporters are optimistic it will have the legs to pass both chambers at the General Assembly. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
21-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Bill seeks to protect waterways by eliminating parking minimums
On the busiest shopping days, navigating the parking lot can be a nightmare -- but for the rest of year, many of those same spots sit empty. According to Representative Donnie Loftis of Gaston County and Ryan Carter, the policy director for the Catawba Riverkeeper, that empty space can be a pricey problem. 'No one's benefitting from it,' Carter said. 'When we look around empty parking lots like this one we ask what could go there instead and truthfully, anything is better than an empty parking lot.' Carter's concern is stormwater runoff. Anytime water is falling on pavement instead of the ground or any other surface that can absorb it, that water collects and flows right into our drains, taking any pollutants on that pavement with it. In many cases, that can include something called 'coal tar sealant,' which has been linked to health concerns like fertility issues, respiratory diseases, and cancers. 'It's this kind of byproduct of coal ash,' Carter said. 'These break down over time and as they break down they get swept in as it rains and end up in our waterways.' The sealant is already banned in Mecklenburg and Watauga counties, but a bill currently in the statehouse could ban it across North Carolina. The bill would also get rid of requirements that large parking lots be built at all. SPECIAL SECTION >> Channel 9 Climate Stories House Bill 369, which Rep. Loftis sponsors, is focused on reducing stormwater pollution by eliminating parking minimums statewide. 'I want to drive right next to the front door too. That's just human nature,' he said. 'But the goal is, to impact a couple of things, the storm water runoff and giving more area for that water to settle before it gets into a storm water creek or stream.' With the South Fork of the Catawba River running right through his district, Loftis said he wanted to balance the conservation needs of his community and the entire state with the increased economic development it's been seeing. He believes by eliminating requirements for developers to build a minimum number of parking spaces for their projects, it will give developers the freedom to build what the market demands without wasting money or space overbuilding. 'That was a way of getting more grass ground, natural areas that could absorb, hold or slow down this runoff, and at the same time, provide retailers, home builders, apartment developers, the opportunity to lower their cost,' he said. In theory, this means developers could choose not to build parking at all. Carter pointed to two Charlotte apartment complexes as an example. The Joinery and Cykel apartments are both near light rail stops and have a limited number of parking spots available to residents. Instead, they offer alternative transportation options like ride or bike shares and use the majority of their space for additional housing or amenities. RELATED >> Parking-free development aims to fill housing gap, reduce car-dependency 'Developers know exactly how many parking spaces they need,' Carter said. In Loftis's district, Gastonia eliminated parking minimums in 2021. Loftis said it hasn't eliminated parking altogether but allowed for more choices, for apartment complexes and businesses, especially in denser areas like downtown. 'You don't have to build 1,000 parking spots,' he said. 'You can build 500.' The bill is currently in the House Transportation Committee and will have to go through two more committees before it makes it to the floor, but Loftis said he's already gotten a lot of bipartisan interest from those with interests in conservation, building and economic development. 'I'm fully prepared to carry this bill all the way through to seeing it passed and working with the Senate,' Loftis said. (VIDEO: Homeowner in same house for decades never had runoff problem until new homes went up next door)
Axios
21-03-2025
- Automotive
- Axios
North Carolina bill would eliminate parking minimums statewide
A new North Carolina bill could eliminate off-street parking minimums — the number of spaces local governments require for new developments. Why it matters: Charlotte has considered ending these requirements as the city aims to be less car-dependent. This state bill, however, would override the local rule and effectively settle any debate. The legislation is gaining broad support across North Carolina, from rural farmers to business leaders to environmental activists. "This is an affordable housing issue, farmland preservation issue, sprawl issue — there's a lot of components to it," says Ryan Carter, policy director at Catawba Riverkeeper. Context: Catawba Riverkeeper, the nonprofit dedicated to protecting the Catawba-Wateree River Basin, has worked on this legislation for years, intending to reduce stormwater runoff. Just one inch of rainfall on an acre of parking lot generates 27,000 gallons of runoff, according to Catawba Riverkeeper. That rainwater carries pollutants into waterways, including the Catawba-Wateree River Basin and downstream to farmlands. Others see ending parking minimums as a way to promote attainable housing. When developers are forced to build parking, the number of spaces often exceeds the market demand, driving up construction costs and making housing less affordable. A surface parking spot, on average, costs about $5,000 to $10,000, while a parking deck space can run around $50,000, according to Strong Towns. Case in point: Gastonia eliminated parking minimums in recent years — a move that made the 200-unit Fairhaven Place workforce housing development more financially viable, according to assistant city manager Quentin McPhatter. "It certainly helped move things along and move the needle in terms of our revolution of downtown," McPhatter says. Zoom out: Nationwide, cities are moving away from parking minimums. A mix of red and blue states — including Washington, Illinois, Oklahoma and Montana — are considering statewide legislation similar to North Carolina's. Zoom in: House Bill 369, the Parking Lot Reform and Modernization Act, would also ban coal tar sealants and other toxic pavement products that are harmful to humans and the environment. Already, Mecklenburg County has banned coal tar products, and Lowes, Home Depot and Ace Hardware no longer carry products containing the chemical. The bill also reverses a state law that prevents local governments from requiring storm runoff deterrents for redevelopment sites. What they're saying: Rep. Mark Brody, a Republican sponsoring the bill, says he often looks at unused portions of Walmart or big shopping center lots and asks: "Why have all this wasted space?" Carter says the bill would encourage infill development, spur revitalization in western North Carolina after Hurricane Helene and promote the reimagining of corporate business parks. The other side: Unlike Raleigh, Durham and Gastonia, Charlotte still mandates a set number of spaces per development, even for a bar near the light rail, if it's close enough to a single-family home. Charlotte has hesitated to drop parking minimums. Over the years, officials have voiced concerns that the city's transit system is too inadequate to make such a change. They worry limited parking would lead to more on-street parking, disrupting quiet neighborhoods. However, the city is beginning to address its parking demand by implementing residential parking permit programs in the fast-growing neighborhoods of Dilworth and Wilmore.
